Influence of the Dirac sea on proton electromagnetic knockout

Abstract

We use the relativistic distorted-wave impulse approximation (RDWIA) to study the effects of negative-energy components of Dirac wave functions on the left-right asymmetry for (e,e'p) reactions on 16-O with 0.2 < Q^2 < 0.8 and 12-C with 0.6 < Q^2 < 1.8 (GeV/c)^2. Spinor distortion is more important for the bound state than for the ejectile and the net effect decreases with Q^2. Spinor distortion breaks Godon equivalence and the data favor the CC2 operator with intermediate coupling to the sea. The left-right asymmetry for Q^2 < 1.2 (GeV/c)^2 is described well by RDWIA calcuations, but at Q^2 = 1.8 (GeV/c)^2 the observed variation with missing momentum is flatter than predicted.

Comments: 12 pages, 9 figures, to be submitted to PRC